Minnesota Prairie Roots

Writing and photography by Audrey Kletscher Helbling

Thither will we go March 28, 2026

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Sunrise on Horseshoe Lake in the central Minnesota lakes region. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

I ATTENDED A CONCERT at my church, Trinity Lutheran, Friday evening. Students from Concordia Academy in Roseville kicked off their spring break “Walk in the Light Tour” to Nashville with their first stop here in Faribault.

What a talented group of high school musicians who sang with joy, energy and depth. From spirituals to traditional worship to blessing songs and more, they performed in the light of faith.

One song in particular, “Thither Will I Go” by composer Tom Trenney, resonated with me. It’s based on a poem, “Light Looked Down,” by Laurence Housman (1865-1959). Although this poem was written long ago, the words are timeless.

The short three-line poem centers on light and darkness, war and peace, and hatred and love.

As I sat listening to these young people, my mind wandered to the No Kings Day protests today. “Thither Will I Go” would be a great protest song. As protesters, we shine light, peace and love.

I’d like those who criticize us, who question our reasons for protesting, who claim we are paid (we are not), who shout profanities at us, call us stupid and more, to consider the words written long ago by Laurence Housman. As protesters, we choose light over darkness, peace over war, love over hatred.

Thither will we go.

Where there is darkness, let there be light. Where there is war, let there be peace. Where there is hatred, let there be love.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

In appreciation of those protesting in rural areas on No Kings Day March 27, 2026

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An abandoned farmhouse in rural southwestern Minnesota. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

ON THIS, THE DAY before nationwide No Kings Day protests, I want to pause and thank the many people in small towns, in the most rural of regions, who are standing up for democracy. Media attention tomorrow will focus on protests in big cities. That coverage is expected. But equally as important are the rallies in communities of a couple hundred or several thousand deep in red territory.

In these places, publicly standing against the Trump administration takes, simply put, guts. Everyone knows everyone in small towns and it’s not necessarily easy to be politically at odds with one another. These are the people you see at the post office, worship with, meet for coffee, work beside, live next door to, do business with.

A protester at a No Kings Day protest in Northfield, a college town of about 21,000 and 20 minutes from my community. I protested in Northfield before protests began in Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo June 2025)

When those who oppose Trump, his administration and policies protest in rural Republican strongholds, they expose themselves as “the other.” Yet, it is this very public act of defiance and resistance which can get people thinking, start conversations, open doors to change. Now, more than ever, it’s important to fearlessly oppose tyranny. It’s important to stand up for freedom, voting rights, immigrants, justice, due process… It’s important to express concerns about the economy, the war in Iran, the overall state of this country.

Upon looking at a map of all the No Kings Day protest sites in Minnesota, I found many in rural areas. From Madison, population 1,500 and the self-proclaimed “Lutefisk Capital of the USA” near the South Dakota border, to Baudette, population 1,100 and the “Walleye Capital of the World” near the Canadian border, Minnesotans will gather. Even in my deeply red home county of Redwood in southwestern Minnesota, a protest is planned in the county seat of Redwood Falls.

In St. James, also in southwestern Minnesota and a town where I once lived and worked as a regional news reporter for the Mankato Free Press, a No Kings Day event is set. The community of 4,800 is home to many Hispanics and Latinos and was targeted by federal immigration enforcement agents during Operation Metro Surge.

A photograph of Paul Bunyan taken many years ago in Hackensack. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

Even Hackensack, in Paul Bunyan’s northern Minnesota lake country, is on the Saturday protest map. That town has a population of just under 300 as does Cyrus, near Morris in far western Minnesota, also holding a No Kings Day protest.

From my community of Faribault, with a population of around 25,000, to Kenyon to the east with some 1,800 residents, to the small towns of Rushford, St. Charles, Spring Grove and Preston in the far southeastern corner of Minnesota, and many small towns and cities across the state, people will gather in protest on Saturday.

In St. Paul, organizers are expecting up to 100,000 to rally at the state capitol. Those are some impressive numbers. Yet, if even five people show up in a small town to protest, that’s impressive, too.

Fellow protester Susan gifted me with this Rebel Loon pin crafted by her husband. The loon is Minnesota’s state bird. The graphic symbolizes resistance in the North Star state. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted and edited photo March 2026)

Every voice of resistance matters, wherever you live, rural, suburban or urban.

FYI: The Faribault No Kings Day protest is from 11 a.m.-noon March 28 (and every Saturday) by the Rice County government services building along Minnesota State Highway 60.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Fish, music, wrestling & drama March 26, 2026

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(Promo sourced from Little Prairie website)

FAITH COMMUNITIES are especially busy this time of year as they prepare for the celebration of Christ’s resurrection. Mid-week Lenten services, Friday night fish fries, Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week all usher in Easter morning.

Locally, you’ll find not only the usual, but also a few unique happenings at several area churches. First up, Little Prairie United Methodist Church, rural Dundas, hosts its annual Fish Dinner from 3-8 p.m. Friday, March 27. The meal features fried or baked fish, baked potatoes, salad bar and pie. Tickets must be purchased in advance. Take-out is available. Click here for details.

Also on Friday evening, the Concordia Academy Choir, based at the Christian high school in Roseville, presents an hour-long concert of inspiring music for all ages beginning at 7 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Faribault. A free will offering will be taken.

Saturday, March 28, brings more activity to Trinity with the Trinity Radio Rumble beginning at 2 p.m. in the Faribault Lutheran School gym, connected to the church. The event, a fundraiser for the congregation’s radio ministry, features family-friendly, live professional wrestling. Click here for more info and to purchase discounted tickets in advance.

St. John’s 50th presentation of The Last Supper Drama in the sanctuary. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

On Sunday, March 29, The Last Supper Drama comes to St. John’s United Church of Christ, Wheeling Township. The drama in the rural Faribault church has been a Palm Sunday tradition for more than 60 years. Performed in the darkness of the sanctuary by 12 actors role-playing the disciples, the drama begins at 8 p.m. Each disciple speaks individually, explaining his relationship to Christ. Refreshments follow the free performance, which will also be live-streamed on Facebook and YouTube.

So whether you like fish, music, wrestling and/or drama, you’ll find all four in faith communities in the Faribault area this coming weekend.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Protests planned along I-35 & across the country March 25, 2026

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A protest in downtown Minneapolis in January, at the height of Operation Metro Surge. (Photo credit: A cousin who lives in south Minneapolis.)

THIS MARKS A BIG WEEK for anyone concerned about the future of this country under the leadership of President Donald Trump and his administration. That includes me. This is a week of unified nationwide protests.

I’ve protested so many times already—in Faribault, Northfield and Owatonna—against what’s unfolding in America that I’ve lost count. And lest anyone thinks peaceful public protests don’t matter, they do. This is one way to raise our voices, to stand up for democracy, to protect our voting rights, to support our immigrant neighbors, to oppose that which is morally and ethically wrong. To resist and publicly stand for freedom, justice, peace, and much more.

This Thursday and then again on Saturday, concerned Americans will rise up, not in a violent insurrection, but in peaceful protest. Using our voices and our signs, we will make our statements. And, living in a primarily “red” community like I do, it’s especially important for me and others to take a visible public stand.

At a NO KINGS protest in Northfield in October, protesters stand along busy Minnesota State Highway 3. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo October 2025)

BRIDGE PROTEST ALONG I-35

The week’s protests begin on Thursday with a No Kings Democracy Bridge Protest along the Interstate 35 corridor from Minnesota to Texas. If Faribault had a bridge over the interstate, we’d be out there. We don’t. But only a short drive to the south in Owatonna and Medford, organized protests on bridges are planned from 4-5:50 p.m. on Thursday. Protesters gathering on 46 bridges over and along I-35 will hold letter signs (rather than individual signs), spelling out messages, making the words highly-visible to the millions traveling this corridor. Messages like: NO WAR NO KINGS and YES DEMOCRACY—NO KINGS 3/28!

This shows a portion of the people protesting in Faribault on a frigid February morning. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo February 2026)

NO KINGS DAY PROTEST

Thursday’s border-to-border bridge protests are a lead-up to the main event, the third nationwide NO KINGS protest on Saturday, March 28. Here in Faribault, we will gather outside the Rice County government services building along Minnesota State Highway 60 from 11 a.m.-noon as we have every Saturday for almost three months.

I’ve stood there in frigid cold, in a snowstorm, in near 80-degree temps. And I’ve met the most wonderful people. Individuals who care deeply about this country. People who value freedom, democracy, justice, peace, their neighbors… We bring our signs, sharing whatever concerns us, whatever we want the public to read. Some bring American, Minnesota state and peace flags. And this past Saturday, a man wore an inflatable frog costume. A passing motorist brought us doughnuts.

We stand united, overwhelmingly supported by those who drive by, waving, giving us the thumbs up, honking their horns. But, of course, we are also flipped off, have profanities shouted at us, and are threatened by drivers of over-sized pickup trucks who drive dangerously close and fast, rolling coal. They are attempting to intimidate us into silence.

I was holding this sign when a driver told me to “find Jesus.” (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo by Randy Helbling)

And then there was the driver who last week slowed and shouted, “You need to find Jesus!” I held a sign with a message to love each other. A young man next to me held a “peace, not war” sign. I believe Jesus would have approved of our signs.

My friend Larry, in his eighties, told me he hadn’t protested since the Vietnam War. But he’s joined us in Faribault for many of our Saturday morning protests. People of all ages partcipate. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo February 2026)

FLAGSHIP PROTEST IN THE TWIN CITIES

This Saturday we will hold our signs again in Faribault. To the north in the Twin Cities, protesters will gather at noon to march from three sites in St. Paul to the Minnesota State Capitol. The Twin Cities is the flagship location for the March 28 NO KINGS Day protest. At 2 p.m., an impressive line-up will lead a rally. Those include Senator Bernie Sanders, Jane Fonda, Joan Baez, Maggie Rogers, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan, and the boss himself, Bruce Springsteen. The musician will perform his anti-ICE song, “Streets of Minneapolis.”

In the words of Springsteen, “We will take our stand for this land.” We will raise our voices. From the small towns and cities of the Heartland, from rural and urban areas coast-to-coast, Americans will rise up and peacefully protest. Unified in purpose. Determined. Standing strong.

FYI: To learn more about the Thursday protests on I-35 bridges, click here. To find a NO KINGS Day protest location near you, click here.

ADDITIONALLY, the people of the Twin Cities have been awarded the 2026 John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for their actions during the massive federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota. Click here to learn more about that award, which will be presented at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston on May 31. So proud of you, Twin Cities, and all other Minnesotans who stepped up, helped, protested, etc. during Operation Metro Surge. That includes right here in my community of Faribault.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

On the road under brooding March skies in southern Minnesota March 24, 2026

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A farm site between Owatonna and Claremont. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

UNDER AN IMMENSE SKY in the wide open countryside of rural southern Minnesota, I always feel small.

Three US Air Force T-38 Talon Thunderbird jets landmark Owatonna Degner Regional Airport along Interstate 35. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

Sky and land dwarf me, impressing upon me the vastness and power of that which rises above and that which stretches around me.

On US Highway 14 just east of Owatonna, driving into early morning grayness. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

On a recent road trip to Rochester and back, the brooding sky of mid-March appeared unsettled, threatening. Cloud after cloud after cloud nearly swiped the earth while towering in a brute mass into seemingly infinity.

Heading east on highway 14, the All-Corn Clean Fuel ethanol plant by Claremont comes into view. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

Only occasionally did the sun fight through the clouds that darkened the day. Gray prevailed, a visual cue of the major winter storm that would arrive the next evening.

Harnessing the wind on a farm site near Claremont. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

In the flatness of the land, a strong wind bullied across the landscape. Pushing. Shoving. Bending the will of boughs. Punching at vehicles. Fearless and unrelenting.

On the return trip to Faribault, the clouds partially broke, opening to blue skies over Claremont. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

This is March in Minnesota. One day angry and roiling. The next day calm, even warm, sunny and inviting. March marks the indecisiveness of sometimes spring, sometimes still winter.

Byron Agri Center stretches skyward. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

There’s a certain restlessness this time of year among those of us who live in this cold climate state of long winters. We are weary of cold and snow, ready for real spring, not just the calendar spring. We crave sunshine, warmth and greenery.

A view of the ethanol plant near Claremont on the return trip, when skies lightened. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

But realistically, Mother Nature has her own mind, deciding when a season reveals herself, not simply teases. I see that in the sky on this drive. The heavy morning sky, wrapped in a mass of clouds, refuses to bare herself to the sun.

A farm site about 20 minutes west of Rochester. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

And so I feel pressed upon, diminished by sky. And land.

Dwarfed by the sky, a housing development atop a hill between Rochester and Byron. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

Buildings—barns and bins and houses—appear minuscule against this intimidating backdrop.

Wind turbines south of Dodge Center. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

Even wind turbines, which tower above treelines, and which I find visually unappealing, appear small-scale despite their height.

Sky and land meet in the immensity of this place. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

I suppose we really are small in the immensity of the universe. A road trip between Faribault and Rochester verifies that. The immense sky and stark, wide open land stretch before me, high and wide. And I feel small, oh, so small in the all of it in the midst of March in Minnesota.

NOTE: I took these on-the-road photos on March 13 as a front seat passenger in our van. I set my 35 mm camera at a fast shutter speed and shot images.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Make way for geese March 19, 2026

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Geese cross a street in small town Kasson, Minnesota. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

TO TAKE PAUSE is sometimes necessary, as in a recent road encounter in the southeastern Minnesota community of Kasson. Two Canadian geese hurriedly crossed a downtown street, their long legs stretching, necks craning, wings lifting in flight.

They understood the danger of approaching vehicles. And we, in our vehicles, understood the need to stop and allow them to go safely on their way.

This marked, in some ways, a sweet moment in time when all of us on that roadway paused in our journeys to respect these geese, who were really at our mercy.

Both geese spread their wings to fly away from danger. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

It felt good to be in community on this mid-March morning without thought of differences or division, but rather in communal understanding that we all needed to do what was right. Sometimes that’s all it takes to realize that we truly can work together for the common good, this time for the common good of those birds. And I suppose for us, too, as I doubt anyone wanted a goose in their radiator.

There are lessons to be learned in everyday life. Lessons in patience and understanding and cooperation. On this winter morning in Minnesota, two geese taught all of us to slow down, to work together, to recognize that little moments matter in life as much as the big moments. The lives of those geese mattered enough for all of us to stop and that is a lesson we can take with us into our communities, our country, our world.

THOUGHTS? Any similar stories to share of an everyday moment like this with lessons learned?

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Local Latinos voice concerns in “Dear Northfield” project March 18, 2026

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Panels created by Rocky Casillas Aguirre are written in both Spanish and English, on display recently at the Northfield Public Library. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo February 2026)

I APPRECIATE WHEN LEADERS think outside the box, using creative ways to gather and share information.

Take a project in the southern Minnesota riverside college town of Northfield, home to more than 2,000 Latinos, representing some 10 percent of the city’s population. A 2023 city-inspired effort led by a collective of local Latino artists and activists was tasked with developing a connective public art project focused on Latino voices.

Getting the conversation going… (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo February 2026)

Among the results was a poster campaign, “Dear Northfield,” by Latino artist Rocky Casillas Aguirre. He interviewed 100 Latino residents, asking this question: “If you could write a letter to the people who govern our city, what would you tell them?”

The results are colorful, eye-catching panels that reveal invaluable insights from Northfield’s Latino population. I recently saw six of Aguirre’s art posters displayed in the atrium of the Northfield Public Library, a community gathering spot.

At first glance, the artwork reminds me of illustrations in a children’s picture book or drawings in a cartoon. That’s a signature style of Aguirre, born in Mexico, raised in Northfield and a resident for more than 20 years. His art grabs attention in vivid cultural colors.

But it is the comments on those posters which especially deserve a close look as they address topics like housing, transportation, food, culture, communication and connection.

On the topic of local businesses… (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo February 2026)

In their own words, Latino residents of Northfield share their thoughts, their concerns, their hopes, their dreams. They wish for Latino businesses downtown, shops where they can buy Mexican-made products, foods familiar and comforting to them.

On the topic of housing… (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo February 2026)

They want affordable housing, options other than living in trailer houses and apartments.

On the topic of culture and entertainment… (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo February 2026)

They want local Latino-based cultural choices in music, entertainment and art, specifically naming murals. That seems doable in Northfield, which has always embraced public art and has multiple murals.

They want more options for youth, like a Latino youth center.

On the topic of representation in local government… (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo February 2026)

They want more representation in city government and increased connections and engagement between white people and Latinos.

None of these seem like particularly big asks, although some certainly take time and money to implement. It’s good to get the conversation going.

The panels as viewed from outside the Northfield Public Library. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo February 2026)

I hope other communities follow Northfield’s example and use art as a way to share information that will help build a stronger, better and more culturally-aware and diverse city. A place where everyone can thrive, no matter their color, no matter their language, no matter their culture.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Miss Angie’s Place, a welcoming & creative community space in Pine Island March 17, 2026

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Outside Miss Angie’s Place I found giving shelves, center (filled with books, food, a puzzle and more), free art supplies in a library by the steps and a memorial garden for baby Pearl, right. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

Pulling out of the Kwik Trip convenience store in Pine Island recently, flashes of color caught my eye across the street. “What’s that?” I wondered aloud. I was about to discover Miss Angie’s Place.

A close-up of the colorful and inspiring retaining wall. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

If not for the colorful painted rock and concrete wall bracing a hillside, I may not have paused to learn more about the nonprofit based in the town’s first church, Grace Episcopal, built in 1874. Good News Evangelical Free Church closed its doors here in 2023, opening the door for Angie Severson to relocate her nonprofit into the vacated building from several blocks away.

Angie Severson, photographed here with a resident rabbit, founded the nonprofit Miss Angie’s Place in 2021. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

This mother of four daughters and a life-long artist, who has worked as a high school art and business teacher and as a graphic designer, offers “a fun, nurturing and safe space to gather and grow for people of all ages through art, nature, education and well-being.” Those define the four pillars of Miss Angie’s Place.

The Giving Shelves outside Miss Angie’s Place. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

That’s exactly what I discovered once I finished exploring outside—looking over the brightly-painted retaining wall with uplifting words, checking out the giving shelves and Little Free Art Supplies Library, and a memorial garden for Angie’s infant daughter, Pearl.

Art posted inside Miss Angie’s Place confirms that all are welcome here. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

I headed up the steps past a kid’s bike and helmet, passing under signage telling me everyone is welcome and loved, before opening a red door to the vestibule.

A youth services librarian, right, led the literacy and playtime on the morning I visited. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

For a moment I simply stood there, still uncertain what I was walking into. I continued on, through an interior doorway into the former sanctuary. Two young mothers and their children were gathered around a table with paint, pipe cleaners and paper plates, clearly in the middle of creating. This, as it turns out, was a free early literacy and playtime with Angie and Heidi Breid, youth services librarian from the Van Horn Public Library.

These two preschoolers were fascinated with the aquarium, toy lobster and magnifying glass during playtime. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

One of the moms, mother to a preschooler and a newborn, later shared how she appreciates the opportunity to get out of the house with her kids and connect with others.

Measuring devices mingle with frogs for play on the aged wooden floor. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

This space, this place, still feels like a sanctuary in many ways as people gather in community. For nearly 150 years, people walked across the well-worn wooden floors, gathering to grieve, to celebrate, to seek sanctuary.

Exploring and playing on a recent Thursday morning. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

It feels right that this former house of worship today offers a safe haven, a sanctuary, for all ages to create, learn, connect, meditate and more. Here young moms come with their littles, school-aged kids create art and explore nature, youth attend summer day camps focused on kindness, gardening, fishing, art and much more. Adults practice yoga and attend wellness retreats.

Among the many art supplies available for creating. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)
A stash of books I spotted. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)
Cozy seating. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

In a short conversation with Angie, I learned of her passion for this place she’s created and filled with art supplies, books, nature finds, toys, aquariums, cozy seating and much more in a truly welcoming, creative and joyful learning environment.

Looking toward the front of the former church, now a spacious space for gathering, creating and more. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)
An artsy backpack hangs just inside the front entry door. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)
Donation jars and boxes are scattered throughout Miss Angie’s Place to help support the nonprofit. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

When someone does what they love, it shows. From her vibrant tie-dyed sweatshirt, to her engaging smile, to the way Angie cuddled the resident rabbit, she exuded a sense of purpose and joy. I watched her interact with preschoolers, bending to their level, encouraging, connecting.

A mom, her preschooler and infant leave the early literacy and playtime at Miss Angie’s Place. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

Miss Angie’s Place is, indeed, “a fun, nurturing and safe space to gather and grow.” It is the type of place I delight in discovering in small town Minnesota. Unexpected. Connective. Creative. And centered in community.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

This week in Faribault: The incarceration of Japanese Americans, immigrant portraits & a historical novel March 16, 2026

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IF YOU WERE TO COLLECTIVELY consider two upcoming events this week and one current art exhibit in Faribault, you would find a common theme. That would be humanity and how we treat one another.

Let’s start with “Enmity and Empathy: Japanese Americans During World War II,” a talk by Dr. Ka Wong, set for 6 p.m. Thursday, March 19, at the Rice County Historical Society in Faribault. Wong, a professor of Asian Studies at St. Olaf College in Northfield wrote a book by that name. I’m 25 pages into the book, which was published in May 2025 by the Minnesota Historical Society Press and is a finalist for the “Emilie Buchwald Award for Minnesota Nonfiction” Minnesota Book Award.

Award nominee or not, this book is assuredly a winner for the depth and volume of information Wong shares about imprisoned Japanese Americans, something unknown to many Americans. My knowledge is limited, so I’m looking forward to this presentation.

In promoting Wong’s talk this Thursday evening, the county historical society shared this in a media release:

Drawing on personal interviews, archival sources, and historical literature, Professor Ka Wong explores the courageous struggles of trailblazers who left the incarceration camps and rebuilt their lives in the North Star State. He will share stories of college students pursuing higher education, including the two colleges in Rice County, young men and women training at the Military Intelligence Service Language School at Camp Savage and then Fort Snelling, the US Cadet Nurse Corps serving in Rochester hospitals, and entrepreneurial families and individuals in the Twin Cities and beyond.

All of this, of course, makes me think of the recent massive federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota. In that operation, many were illegally detained by federal agents, flown out of the state and held without due process in detention camps, where they remain. Others were released, some deported. I expect Wong may address this during his presentation. He can definitely provide historic perspective.

NOTE: Reserve a spot at this talk by calling (507) 332-2121. Space is limited. Admittance is free for RCHS members and $5 for non-members.

Immigrant portraits line the hall connecting the library, left, to the community center. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

ART EXHIBIT FEATURES IMMIGRANT PORTRAITS

Immigrants are the focus of an exhibit currently showing in the hallway between the Faribault Community Center and Buckham Memorial Library. Faribault artist Kate Langlais shows 13 of her portraits from her “I Am Minnesota” project. These are first and second-generation immigrants.

Four months ago, Langlais’ immigrant portraits filled a spacious gallery at the Paradise Center for the Arts in Faribault. These are selected drawings from that show. She’s also previously shown her artwork in the same space where the 13 portraits now hang.

In my opinion, these portraits should be shared as often as possible in Faribault, which has not always been particularly welcoming to immigrants. I’m certainly not talking everyone, but too many people would rather our newest neighbors from Somalia, Mexico and other countries leave our city. I’ve heard that shouted while protesting ICE operations.

(Promo from the Books on Central Facebook page)

AN AUTHOR TALKS ABOUT THE GOSPEL OF SALOME

Finally, St. Olaf College professor and author Kaethe Schwehn will talk about her newest book, The Gospel of Salome, at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 18, at Books on Central in Faribault. The historical novel set in Biblical times follows a mother who is navigating a complex world of gender and power imbalances during the First Century. Schwehn will read from her book and talk about some of its themes, examining ideology, motherhood and a poignant argument for love and equality in today’s world, according to pre-event information.

I expect good discussion will follow, as it always does at these free literary events at Books on Central.

There’s a lot to be learned in Faribault this week. I hope locals and others will embrace these three opportunities to grow their knowledge and broaden their perspectives.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Musings during a multi-day southern Minnesota blizzard March 15, 2026

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My husband, Randy, blows snow from our driveway Sunday morning. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

WHILE I SAT IN THE RECLINER hand-stitching loosened seams in a cuff of Randy’s flannel shirt and listening to “Face the Nation,” my husband was outdoors firing up the snowblower.

We are in the middle of a major winter storm in much of Minnesota. Snow began falling here Saturday evening and continues with some nine-plus inches of accumulation thus far in Faribault. Winds are whipping the new-fallen snow into a blizzard with no travel advised, roads closed, and more cancellations than I could possibly list. That includes cancellation of church services.

Little Prairie United Methodist Church, rural Dundas. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

Across town, while I was stitching, then dicing celery and onions for the Chicken Wild Rice Hotdish I’ll make for supper, my friend Marian was tucked inside her home watching Little Prairie United Methodist Church services online. Broadcast not from the rural Dundas church, but from Pastor Penny Bonsell’s living room in nearby Northfield.

“She (the pastor) was in her slippers with a cup of coffee and her puppy needing to be removed from front and center!” Marian shared with me. “A close neighbor trudged through the snow to play the piano and she and her husband have beautiful voices. The puppy didn’t sing!”

Marian invited me to watch the service. I did. After I finished the breakfast dishes, ate the brunch Randy made, washed dishes again, and video chatted with my second daughter and one-year-old grandson four hours away in southeastern Wisconsin. Only light snow is falling in Madison.

Randy had just finished clearing the driveway and sidewalk when the snowplow came by, filling in the ends of the drive and walk with a deep ridge of snow. Back to blowing. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

Snow is still piling up here, falling thick and heavy. But the Rev. Bonsell gave thanks for the new white snow, which “reminds us to be clean and make a new start in life.” I appreciated her positive perspective, which can be difficult to consider when you’re out shoveling and blowing away snow in fierce winds as Randy did for 1½ hours this morning.

But as I watched the Little Prairie UMC Church service, I felt such peace. Pastor Bonsell has a calming voice, graceful and poetic. As she led the service from her cozy living room, fire blazing in the fireplace, slippers on her feet, sipping coffee, rocking in a rocking chair, I felt the comfort of words offered in song, prayer and in her message, “Restores My Soul” (based on Psalm 23). Said the pastor, “You are never, ever alone.” She also talked about light and darkness, referencing Ephesians 5:8-14 and choosing to live in the light, to choose good.

I took this photo early Sunday morning as the wind-driven snow began to pile up against the garage door. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

I didn’t intend to watch a church service when I was shaping the idea of this blog post around our winter storm. I attended worship at my church last evening given this morning’s service was canceled. But then my friend Marian’s words about the puppy and the pastor in slippers drew me to the Little Prairie UMC YouTube video.

Once online, I immediately felt at home in the pastor’s living room. I noticed a pillow with the directive to “Be Kind” positioned on a child-sized rocking chair. The fire blazed. The puppy roamed. Pianist Peter Webb sat poised at the piano.

Just like the Rev. Bonsell, I advised Randy to be careful while clearing the heavy snow. Here he blows open the sidewalk with dried hydrangea in the foreground. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

And the Rev. Bonsell, in her welcome on this “snowstormy day” (her words), advised everyone to be careful when shoveling the heavy snow. Then, before beginning the worship service, she asked for more people to make pies and salads for a March 27 Fish Dinner. She announced the Holy Week schedule and a 90th birthday party open house for twins Doris and Doug, showed a video of a youth group bowling outing, and more.

And during a sharing of the peace, typically hand-shaking, the pastor and her husband, Tom, kissed. That sealed it. The snow may be falling at a rapid rate as I write. The wind may be creating chaos in the world outside. But in a small southern Minnesota living room, a pastor brought peace and love in the middle of a blizzard that won’t end until 7 a.m. Monday.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling